#EndSARS: Ondo Govt Facilitates Release Of 18-Year-Old Girl Who Gave Birth In Prison Custody

The Ondo State government said Sunday that it is making moves to
ensure the release of 18-year-old Kemisola Ogunniyi, who recently
gave birth in prison in Akure, where she has been detained for
months in connection with last year’s #EndSARS protests.

Charles Titiloye, the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner
for Justice, said this in a statement on Sunday, confirming the
hope expressed by her lawyer on Saturday that she would be released
on Monday.

Recall that Ms Ogunniyi was arrested by soldiers after the
violence that erupted in the wake of the October 2020 #EndSARS
protests.

Her lawyer, Tope Temokun, had said she was randomly picked up on
the streets of Akure last year for allegedly having connections
with persons who torched the All Progressive Congress (APC)
secretariat in Akure, Ondo State, during the nationwide #EndSARS
anti-police brutality protest last year.

She was said to be about two months pregnant when she was
arrested along with three others on October 22, 2020.

Those with whom she was arrested were Ayodele Bukunmi, Ojo
Samuel, and Ani Obinna.

They were subsequently charged with conspiracy to commit arson,
riotous assembly, stealing and malicious damage, and later remanded
in Surulere Prison in Ondo West local government area of the
state.

The Ondo State government subsequently arraigned them. They have
since been kept in pretrial detention in Akure prison.

After giving birth on Wednesday, many Nigerians took to social
media, particularly Twitter, to campaign for her release.

On Thursday, her lawyer, Mr Temokun, wrote separate letters to
the Ondo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr
Titiloye, and Chief Judge, Oluwatoyin Akeredolu, demanding her
release.

The lawyer said Saturday that he met with Ondo State
attorney-general whom he said expressed passionate interest in
ensuring Ms Ogunniyi’s release without delay.

He also said he similarly got “good assurances” from the office
of the Chief Judge in respect of his client’s matter.

Mr Titiloye, in a statement on Sunday, said the state is
committed to the release of Ms Ogunniyi who gave birth to a baby
boy in prison on Wednesday.

The official, who noted that the detainee did not disclose her
pregnancy status at the time of her arrest last October, said his
office is facilitating her release.

Ondo State government will not be opposing the fresh bail
application filed by her lawyer, Mr Temokun, Mr Titiloye said.

He also confirmed meeting with Mr Temokun on Friday in talks
over the new mother’s release on bail.

“This office is aware that the offences with which Kemisola
Ogunniyi was charged are offences for which bail may be granted by
the court and she is entitled to a counsel of her choice who has
the duty to file an application for bail before the court.

“It is worthy of note that, at the previous sittings of the
court, counsel to two of the four defendants had filed applications
for bail.

“However, no information was placed before the Court then about
the pregnant status of Kemisola Ogunniyi and no application for
bail was brought before the Court by her counsel.

“It was on June 17, 2020 that the office of Attorney General was
served a bail application by a new counsel (Tope Temokun Esq)
engaged by Kemisola Ogunniyi.

“Consequent upon the application for bail dated the June 17,
2021, the Attorney General of Ondo State and Commissioner for
Justice, met Tope Temokun Esq on June 18 , 2021 and arranged that
Kemisola Ogunniyi be released on bail without any opposition from
the prosecution so that she can take care of her baby from home,”
part of the statement read.

He also said that “criminal trial is pending before a Court of
competent jurisdiction and hopefully with the intervention of Ondo
State Government through the office of Attorney-General and Chief
Judge of Ondo State, she will be released on bail shortly.”

The Ondo State government said Sunday that it is making moves to
ensure the release of 18-year-old Kemisola Ogunniyi, who recently
gave birth in prison in Akure, where she has been detained for
months in connection with last year’s #EndSARS protests.

Charles Titiloye, the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner
for Justice, said this in a statement on Sunday, confirming the
hope expressed by her lawyer on Saturday that she would be released
on Monday.

Recall that Ms Ogunniyi was arrested by soldiers after the
violence that erupted in the wake of the October 2020 #EndSARS
protests.

Her lawyer, Tope Temokun, had said she was randomly picked up on
the streets of Akure last year for allegedly having connections
with persons who torched the All Progressive Congress (APC)
secretariat in Akure, Ondo State, during the nationwide #EndSARS
anti-police brutality protest last year.

She was said to be about two months pregnant when she was
arrested along with three others on October 22, 2020.

Those with whom she was arrested were Ayodele Bukunmi, Ojo
Samuel, and Ani Obinna.

They were subsequently charged with conspiracy to commit arson,
riotous assembly, stealing and malicious damage, and later remanded
in Surulere Prison in Ondo West local government area of the
state.

The Ondo State government subsequently arraigned them. They have
since been kept in pretrial detention in Akure prison.

After giving birth on Wednesday, many Nigerians took to social
media, particularly Twitter, to campaign for her release.

On Thursday, her lawyer, Mr Temokun, wrote separate letters to
the Ondo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr
Titiloye, and Chief Judge, Oluwatoyin Akeredolu, demanding her
release.

The lawyer said Saturday that he met with Ondo State
attorney-general whom he said expressed passionate interest in
ensuring Ms Ogunniyi’s release without delay.

He also said he similarly got “good assurances” from the office
of the Chief Judge in respect of his client’s matter.

Mr Titiloye, in a statement on Sunday, said the state is
committed to the release of Ms Ogunniyi who gave birth to a baby
boy in prison on Wednesday.

The official, who noted that the detainee did not disclose her
pregnancy status at the time of her arrest last October, said his
office is facilitating her release.

Ondo State government will not be opposing the fresh bail
application filed by her lawyer, Mr Temokun, Mr Titiloye said.

He also confirmed meeting with Mr Temokun on Friday in talks
over the new mother’s release on bail.

“This office is aware that the offences with which Kemisola
Ogunniyi was charged are offences for which bail may be granted by
the court and she is entitled to a counsel of her choice who has
the duty to file an application for bail before the court.

“It is worthy of note that, at the previous sittings of the
court, counsel to two of the four defendants had filed applications
for bail.

“However, no information was placed before the Court then about
the pregnant status of Kemisola Ogunniyi and no application for
bail was brought before the Court by her counsel.

“It was on June 17, 2020 that the office of Attorney General was
served a bail application by a new counsel (Tope Temokun Esq)
engaged by Kemisola Ogunniyi.

“Consequent upon the application for bail dated the June 17,
2021, the Attorney General of Ondo State and Commissioner for
Justice, met Tope Temokun Esq on June 18 , 2021 and arranged that
Kemisola Ogunniyi be released on bail without any opposition from
the prosecution so that she can take care of her baby from home,”
part of the statement read.

He also said that “criminal trial is pending before a Court of
competent jurisdiction and hopefully with the intervention of Ondo
State Government through the office of Attorney-General and Chief
Judge of Ondo State, she will be released on bail shortly.”